NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana, in its final season as a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference member, was announced Tuesday at the winner of the 2020-21 Thomas Howell Cup, the GCAC's all-sports award.
        The Thomas Howell Cup is named for the GCAC's longtime commissioner and awarded annually to the school with the most points based on order of finish in various sports.
        XULA won the Howell Cup for the fifth consecutive year and the 10th time in the last 11 years. XULA became the second GCAC school to win the Howell Cup 10-or-more times; former member Mobile won it 18 times from 1997-98 through 2008-09.
        XULA, bolstered by first-place finishes in three women's sports — cross country, volleyball and outdoor track field — won the Howell Cup with 30 points. Dillard was in second place with 20 points, Edward Waters third with 18 points, Philander Smith and Talladega tied for fourth with 17 points apiece, Rust sixth with 12 points and Tougaloo seventh with six points.
        Although XULA won GCAC volleyball regular-season and tournament championships for the 10th consecutive year, repeated as men's basketball tournament champion and won the women's basektball tournament, the university was credited with all-sports points only for the regular-season finishes in those sports.
        Louisiana College and William Carey shared the first GCAC all-sports trophy in 1985-86. The trophy has been awarded for 34 years, with no determination in 1986-87 and 2005-06.
         XULA will join the NAIA's Red River Athletic Conference on July 1.

2020-21 Thomas Howell Cup Standings

No.       School            Points 
1.        XULA              30
2.        Dillard           20 
3.        Edward Waters     18
4. (tie)  Philander Smith   17
4. (tie)  Talladega         17 
6.        Rust              12
7.        Tougaloo           6